Home US News California San Francisco hotel employees approaching conclusion of a three-month walkout

San Francisco hotel employees approaching conclusion of a three-month walkout

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San Francisco hotel employees approaching conclusion of a three-month walkout

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Hotel workers in San Francisco are set to vote on Tuesday regarding a tentative agreement with Hilton, marking the potential conclusion of a three-month-long strike. This vote follows similar agreements reached with Marriott and Hyatt over the past week, concluding labor disputes for roughly 1,750 employees at those hotel chains, as reported by the union Unite Here Local 2.

Since September, a massive strike across the United States has involved more than 10,000 hotel workers from 11 different cities. In San Francisco alone, the strike included around 2,500 hotel employees. Demonstrations became tense at times, with some union members being arrested during a protest in October that saw them sitting in a busy street near a Hilton hotel.

The proposed agreement with Hilton is expected to impact about 900 workers, which includes 650 employees who have been on strike for more than three months at the Hilton in Union Square, as well as 250 workers at another Hilton location nearby who were prepared to join the strike.

Hilton’s Senior Vice President, Paul Ades, expressed optimism about the agreement, stating that it would be beneficial for both the hotel staff and the company. He noted the company’s eagerness to see the team members return to work and to continue delivering their signature level of hospitality to guests.

According to the union, this new contract includes the continuation of workers’ health insurance through the union, wage increases, and enhanced protections against understaffing and excessive workloads. The contract is set to remain in effect until 2028.

Bill Fung, a janitor at the Union Square hotel, expressed pride in his fellow workers for their resilience during the strike, emphasizing the challenges they faced during those 93 days of protests. “We stood together through the rain and cold, and even though there were some tough days, it was all worth it,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, hundreds of hotel workers represented by the Culinary Workers Union remain on strike in Las Vegas. They began their walkout in mid-November as part of a contentious negotiation for a new contract with Virgin Hotels, marking the union’s longest strike in more than two decades.

Earlier in March, hotel employees in Southern California successfully ratified contracts with over 30 hotels following a series of strikes that took place during the summer of 2023.